Tressa Miller, finance director for the St. Landry Parish school district, said Monday she is anticipating a general fund deficit of close to $2 million when the fiscal year ends Thursday.

Miller projected a $3 million deficit in May, but after reviewing updated figures at the finance committee meeting Monday, she said the deficit would be a little less.

As of May 30, the school district's budget showed excess revenues of about $1 million, according to Miller. She stated she expects a $2 to $3 million loss in June after paying salaries for employees who work an extra month as well as other expenses.

"Still expecting a loss for the year," Miller said. "At one point, we were looking at $3 million. I'm hoping it won't be that bad. It may be closer to $2 million. There are a lot of factors in for June that I don't have yet."

Miller said the district will pay off the 2015-16 general fund deficit by dipping into reserve funding dedicated for what she labeled as a "rainy day" situation, something she advised the board to stay away from in the future.

“We cannot continue to have losses (in the operating budget) over the long run. If we do, we are going to wake up and it’s going to be too late in the game,” Miller said.

She said her original general fund projections for the 2016-17 fiscal year took a hit because the district received $1.1 million less than expected in state Minimum Foundation Program per student funding. Miller said the district lost about 4 percent more students than expected.

Jerome Robinson, St. Landry's supervisor of child welfare and attendance, said the district had about 14,400 students in 2015-16, down about 400 from 2011.

Robinson said over the past five to six years, the attendance in the parish has fluctuated, going no higher than 14,800 and no lower than 14,000 students.

Miller said the school system is in decent financial shape, despite the projected deficit.

“I would say that right now we are OK," she said. "We can’t continue, however, to sustain a loss each year,” she said. “We must consider streamlining our campuses, and we need to continue building up a fund balance.”

Miller said the district should continue to expect decreases in state money due to the declining student population parishwide.

Hiring five former substitute bus drivers and paying them full-time salaries, which include health benefits and retirement will cost the system about $63,500.

In addition, the district will lose its discounted telephone and computer rates — adding another $100,000 in expenses.

Miller expects the district to save $650,000 in employee retirement costs, pay $160,000 less for health insurance and save another $145,000 after the board decided earlier this month to relocate the alternative school for expelled students from temporary buildings to another campus in Opelousas, which has a permanent structure.